Tipping?

[isilbastet.livejournal.com]

I'm just wondering what people think of tipping artists for their work.

My mother is a hairdresser, and as such, in my life I've learned just how valuable tips can be in service professions. My mom makes most of her money each week through tips, often earning $100-200 in pure tips. At a tab of $65 for a hair dye job (which is what she does), a %15 percent tip is about $9.75; at about 2 hours of work each appointment, multiply that by between 10 and 20 appointments a week,  it comes to between 100 and 200 dollars and between 20 and 40 hours of work.

Now, consider the artist in question. Say that he/she is very talented, professional and hardworking, and would likely put between 20 and 40 hours of work into a piece. The most expensive artist I've seen in my short travels within the fandom is Kacey Migami, and she is also the person who I think charges the closest to actual wage for her work. She gets about $200 for a basic piece, give or take.

Next, consider the talenter/hardworking/professional artist in question that does NOT charge normal wage for his/her work. Let's say the average price, on FA, about $50 for a fully colored piece that the artist may have spent almost 15-20 hours to complete. In this situation, I see it appropriate to tip an artist for their work.


I don't personally tip with every piece; I don't tip when it comes to badge, sketch, or ink commissions, and often I don't if I simply can't afford it.

But when I can, I try to go that extra mile to let the artist know that I appreciate the work they've done for me enough to give a little extra back.

What does everyone think?

Comments

[khirmoonclaw.livejournal.com]

When it comes to tipping artist I base that alot on there professionalism with me along with the quality of work.

Normally if paying by paypal I will include an extra $5 or so to help cover fees as well.

[joecifur.livejournal.com]

I've tipped a handful of artists anywhere from $5-$30, particularly if I felt the quality of their work or even just their professionalism were worth more. I've been fortunate enough to have a handful of people extend the same courtesy to me. I think it promotes good feelings and good results all around. :)

[isilbastet.livejournal.com]

Wow, $30? That's incredible. :3

I agree; I think that the artist, especially after a long day (at cons, mostly) of doing commission after commission, showing that you really appreciate them by helping them pay for dinner means a lot.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

While I certainly don't want to discourage anyone doing it for others, if someone paid me more than I agreed to do the piece for, I would feel horribly uncomfortable, and probably try to do something extra for them :P
I think the best "tip" might be to be commissioned again, later, but telling me up front they want to give me more money :P
(note, service jobs are fairly different because, as you said, they get most all their money from tips. Waiters are paid $2/hr unless they cannot make more than min wage in tips, and if they can't they are often considered so bad that they need to be fired XP)

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

"While I certainly don't want to discourage anyone doing it for others, if someone paid me more than I agreed to do the piece for, I would feel horribly uncomfortable, and probably try to do something extra for them :P"

I tried that and ended up getting paid for the work that I did as an extra thing and then I got tipped $40 on top of that.
The commissioner paid me a lot more than my asking price for everything he commissioned from me. It was like...wow...there's someone that appreciates people. How kind of him to do that for me.

I feel amazing when people deem me worthy to tip, and, though, I don't commission people often, I do try to tip where I can, especially if the artist in question is in dire need of extra cash.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

As an artist, I love it when I get tips, although I don't feel it should be expected. It's not like waitressing, where tipping is necessary in order to get paid enough to survive on. I price my things what they're worth to me, so it's perfectly fine if folks don't tip.

But I've had a few who did, and it really makes me happy to know that somebody appreciates my work enough to pay that little bit extra.

[fenrisfox.livejournal.com]

At the risk of being off-topic -

I like the cute lil' nose on your avatar. =:oD

@ has a weakness for kitty cat noses @

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

I've been on both ends of that. Mostly at cons, people will give me full bills instead of taking the change back, usually around 5-10 bucks, which I always thank them for, and keep note.

I've also tipped a few artists in the same manner.

I don't see any reason tipping is bad or something people should discourage. Furry artists tend to undercharge themselves, and a tip here and there is wonderful.

[isilbastet.livejournal.com]

Agreed. :3

[rakshepsaar.livejournal.com]

I've had someone tip me before I even did the work, and it made me a little uncomfortable - but it was the same sort of discomfort I feel when someone buys me a gift. I just don't like people going out of their way for me, but that's just a personal thing. :3 I'd be very flattered if someone tipped me afterwards, although publicity and commendations would mean a lot more.

As for me, I tip (cash for a commission, more art for a trade) if the person showed a lot of effort and improvement in it - regardless of skill level.

[growly.livejournal.com]

I don't ever expect tips, but when I do get them, it is a very nice surprise indeed. :)
I say keep tipping... that's a really great thing to do. Don't break the bank of course, if you're low on extra cash you don't have to feel obligated to.
If I made more income, I would also tip my favorite artists for a job well done, but unfortunately, I usually have to be careful with how much I spend.

[sicpuppy.livejournal.com]

I don't tip, basically because I can't afford it.
I work for minimum wage, only a part time job, and it pretty much takes some saving to commission anyone I want to commission, or, in fact, pay for anything! I feel that I am paying them what they're asking, I am under no obligation to give even more on top of that. Its fine for those who can afford to do so, but £2 to me is.....well, its a bag of rat food! And frankly, thats pretty useful to me with 17 rescue rats to feed!
Thats just an example really. I virtually never tip, in any situation. I have no problems with others doing so, but I refuse to be guilt tripped or bullyed into it when I can't afford it.

I also agree with whomever said it might make the artist feel awkward. I know it would me.

[fenrisfox.livejournal.com]

If it comes down to feeding rescue animals, or a tip, I doubt too many furries would be upset with missing out on a tip. =:o)

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

It's certainly a nice gesture, if it can be afforded.

[filthy-animal.livejournal.com]

I would never personally expect a tip with a commission. I make a base price and live with it. Though a tip would be a wonderful surprise indeed :D

[neongryphon.livejournal.com]

I accept tips, but I always make sure that the artwork is of the highest possibly standard. I like to be sure I earned my tip, otherwise I would feel horribly guilty. Likewise, I tip other artists when I can. Even if it’s just a few dollars, I think it always helps (especially for those annoying paypal fees) D=

[guiltysentence.livejournal.com]

I'm going the other way on this..
Considering someone who works at a salon, under someone else, everything they do probably doesn't go to them. A tip is a very nice gesture indeed because they're unable to work out their own terms of work and prices.
An artist usually has that ability.

[guiltysentence.livejournal.com]

+I did also mean to mention, and they usually do keep 100% of the money made off the commission.

[wyngaed.livejournal.com]

I think tipping is great, but it should never be expected by an artist like it is with people in jobs that rely on tips like waitresses and hairdressers.

I've always been incredibly thankful for my tips and I put the commissioners that do tip on a list for future gift-art.

[cesarin.livejournal.com]

people usually tip me because im 1.- fast 2.- keep instane comunication 3.- and I mostly give a bit more than they ask for :D

[foxhack.livejournal.com]

... A Mexican furry artist?!

¡PAISANO!

[alcyione.livejournal.com]

I've been tipped before... it kind of made me feel guilty, but it was also kind of a pleasant surprise. :) While I always feel undeserving of presents as such, it made me feel great that I've made someone happy.

I've also tipped with artwork. I've been so happy with commissioned pieces that I've returned the favor with a bit of fan art (this is the kind of tip that I in turn, love to receive!). Who doesn't love gift art? :)

[crescent--moon.livejournal.com]

I´d do the same than with every other service I may pay for... if the service has been good, outstanding, the person has been nice and professional, then I leave a tip.
I have also been tiped before. Nor for many of my commissioner but ocasionally yes. And it feels very nice; I feel that person appreciates my work more than the average commissioner.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

If you consider a commission to be worth more than you initially paid for it, please feel free to tip.
I've tipped artists for both prints and commissions if their service was excellent and it's appreciated.
Nothing bad to say about tipping here, I wish more people would.

[sakayra.livejournal.com]

I feel uncomfortable with any kind of tipping (not just in the art field, where it actually never occurred to me before...). It's all hazy. Do you tip, don't you tip, how much do you tip. I can't carry a book on tipping regulations with me for every country and every business I'm in, and I've both been frowned upon already for tipping too little or too much - not to mention the hassle when the company pays for tips as well but you need to fill out more claim forms for travel expenses which you barely understand in the first place.

I frigging hate it! It makes me feel insecure and inadequate, and I actually tend to actively avoid services where tipping is expected. In service fields, the US habit of paying people too little and forcing them to rely on tips is an abomination, anyway.

I want to know up front how much something costs; I don't want to tip afterwards, haggle before, or raise bids in an auction inbetween (or be surprised by hidden taxes which you are not told about until you try to pay). I did all three and never was happy with the results. Gimme a cold, hard price and I tell you whether I buy or not.

If I want to show my monetary appreciation to an artist, I will buy prints and portfolios, or originals if available at a reasonable rate. I would even give "tip" money by way of a Paypal button for their excellent online work, if they tell me beforehand how much they expect. Why not include such an option with your homepage? That would allow me to appreciate you without mailing hassle. But tell me beforehand what you want! Do not ridicule me afterwards when it's too little, when I never had a chance to learn of your expectations.

As for pricing, just don't sell yourself below your worth. If you have expenses, add them to the price. If you need to buy software or hardware, add a fair share of that to the price of any piece done with those tools. If you need to travel somewhere to offer your service, add that to the price. If you have secondary costs like taxes, rent, food, clothing - add it to the price. Conduct a business, or be content as an amateur (in the sense of someone who loves to do something for the sake of doing it) who does not (need to) retrieve all of his expenses.

Never quote a price you're uncomfortable with, and you won't need tipping. Yes, furry artists do sell themselves cheap, because most of them are amateurs who do not rely on art for sustenance. But that does not mean they now should expect mandatory tipping to improve their income. I shudder at the thought.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

I have tipped on a couple of commissions where the artists had (in my opinion) vastly undersold themselves because they were a 'new' artist. Sure, some artists charge low to 'break in' to the fandom, but these were just crazy-cheap commissions.

[captpackrat.livejournal.com]

I normally don't tip, though if I'm pleased with an artist's work, I'll often commission them again (and show off the work they've done for me, hopefully netting them more commissions from others).

I do tip, however, when it comes to sketchbook drawings at cons, but only if the artist asks for payment after completing the drawing. Then I can hand them a $20 for a $15 sketch and say "keep the change". I don't normally tip if I paid in advance, unless they really outdid themselves.

[growing-rose.livejournal.com]

I've always tipped people when I buy a commission that they are selling 'cause of a need. Like my sister really wanted to get her boyfriend a dehumidifier for Christmas one year, so I bought a commission that would pay for it plus a tip. She needed money for something else, so was doing quick sketch commissions. I tipped her extra on the first sketch I got, then didn't tip on the next one. But since the tip was the difference between one level of sketch and the next, she paid me back for the tip (which she KNEW it was) by adding a little extra to the next one.

I've done this with other artists, too. If I can afford it, I will tip someone whom I know is a good artist and is in need of the money because of an emergency or just a quick need for money (as I said above, a Christmas present thought of too late).

I also like to make sure that the artwork I'm getting done is something the artist will enjoy. Again, my sister's Christmas commission. I knew she was having a lot of fun in acrylics at that time, so I bought an acrylic painting from her. If an artist mentions they love x medium, I'll try to work around it. I will state to the artist a lot "I want you to have fun with this, too!"

[gel-wolf.livejournal.com]

I don't commission art much, but i myself have been tipped for art before :3 it's a nice feeling, knowing someone likes what you do enough to pay you more! but i always feel obligated after that to throw in a little more than what was bargained for ^^;

[weavermage.livejournal.com]

I got tipped $20US once. That was unexpected and nice, but I suspect it was also because they had done something to /really/ piss me off and break our trust outside of commissions and suspected I was gonna cut contact with them after commission. So it was a tip/bribe, but still nice.
Then there has been another artist that tipped me...but again I suspect that was to get on my good side over a conflict. Hmm.
>_>
Well, tips are nice i guess

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

I actually have had notes on many of my pricing lists that my prices are minimum prices, and commissioners should pay me whatever they think the work is worth. I am aware that I'm most likely only going to get the minimum price for a lot of what I do because people in general are pretty cheap, but I still put the disclaimer there because it makes me feel better about asking money for services.

It is completely up to the commissioner, however, and I don't take offense if they don't want to pay me more.


-Alexandra